BYU’s Victory Over Kansas Leaves Elite Blue Blood Smoldering
Nothing beats dominating a blue blood.
That’s exactly what BYU accomplished in the Marriott Center, handing No. 23 Kansas a crushing 91-57 defeat on Tuesday night in Provo. This was the most lopsided loss in Bill Self’s tenure and the worst outcome for a ranked Kansas team against an unranked opponent since the AP Poll started in 1948.
Kansas.
This wasn’t a loss to Santa Clara or Loyola Marymount. It was Kansas.
Wilt Chamberlain must be turning in his grave.
Danny Manning probably switched off ESPN and tuned into “Severance.”
Bill Self struggled to be himself during the game.
He used his final timeout with 14 minutes left, trailing by 31 points.
That’s something that’s never happened before.
The 34-point win by BYU left people questioning what went wrong with Kansas. Not enough were considering what BYU had done right.
Point guard Dallin Hall summed it up, saying, “We’re hitting our stride and trying to put the country on notice.”
With 20 NBA scouts in the stands, many took note of this historic performance.
Kansas wins, of course. But losses like this are rare. Kansas almost never gets humiliated like roadkill. BYU became the first team in seven seasons to lead Kansas by more than 35 points.
National basketball analyst Andy Katz, who I remember from his early days covering the WAC for the Albuquerque Journal and Fresno Bee, noted that teams often struggle when playing in Utah and BYU’s home arenas.
Kansas State and Kansas both came to Utah and left 0-4. If they’d ventured to Logan during this swing, they might’ve left 0-6. K-State, the hottest team in the country, and Kansas, the preseason favorite, had tough stretches.
The Big 12 certainly found out the hard way how challenging it is to play in Utah. The stretch between the Huntsman Center and Marriott Center can feel like a black hole.
There’s little question Kansas is struggling. Their offense is stagnant, and their defense lacks the intensity they showed earlier this season.
But that’s not BYU’s issue.
When you show up at the Marriott Center, with Kevin Young’s team fully engaged, and you don’t perform, the result could be disastrous.
Self mentioned that his team needs to regroup after such a crushing defeat, perhaps even take a day away from each other.
For a loss like this, counseling is needed, as Jayhawks fans aren’t known for their patience.
One Kansas fan, Jayhawk Lasso, posted on X: “I wish we were still the only ones paying players.”
As of Wednesday morning, his post had 31,000 views.
BYU’s victory boosted their NET ranking to No. 31 and their KPI ranking to No. 45. ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt noted, “The fact that BYU isn’t ranked is just ridiculous.”
Wins like this don’t come out of nowhere.
BYU was outstanding, rebounding with intensity and shooting lights out, including 14 made three-pointers. All 15 of their first-half field goals were assisted.
Keba Keita was a shot-blocking force. Richie Saunders brought explosive energy. Trevin Knell came off the bench and hit multiple three-pointers. Mawot Mag played tight defense and nailed some long-range shots.
Dallin Hall is back to full form.
Head coach Kevin Young, a first-year coach who has worked tirelessly to make his team gel, now seems to have found a perfect 11-man rotation. His team is firing on all cylinders, showing chemistry, attitude, and energy. These were the keys to their dominance, as Young kept urging his players to push the ball as fast as they could.
Young had the altitude on his side and wasn’t about to waste Kansas’ oxygen on this night.
His team is finding its confidence.
Up 30 on Kansas? He kept pushing.
The key ingredients are chemistry, rotations, roles being defined, and aggression. But the confidence that showed in the wins over Kansas State and Kansas has been noticeable. His players are starting to believe.
In a season that’s surprised many after Mark Pope’s team finished with a No. 5 seed last year, Young is managing to replicate that formula, despite the departures of Aly Khalifa and Jaxson Robinson.
Last year, Pope had the Cougars shooting 46% from the field and 34.8% from three. Under Young, BYU is shooting 48% from the field and 36.6% from deep, with improved accuracy.
“This three-game stretch has been the most dialed-in we’ve been,” said Young.
The Cougars now head to No. 19 Arizona in Tucson on Saturday, carrying a three-game win streak. At 18-8 and 9-6 in the Big 12, BYU is sitting comfortably in fifth place. The win all but guarantees Young’s squad a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Can they maintain it? Time will tell.
